The Talent Accelerator - s3.amazonaws.com€¦ · Talent Accelerator. In 2019, we were privileged to announce The Executive Leadership Council (ELC) as Key Partner of the Talent Accelerator

A cross-company UK initiative progressing Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic talent in the workplace through collaboration

The Talent Accelerator

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T h e Ta l e n t A c c e l e ra t o r

MESSAGES FROM HOSTING SPONSORS

At Bloomberg, we are proud to support research that champions the contributions of BAME (Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic) talent in Great Britain, whilst acknowledging the challenges this group faces in the corporate world. The value and contribution of BAME talent is clear; yet, many companies struggle to retain and promote ethnically diverse professionals from entry-level and middle management positions to senior executive roles. Through this independent examination of a strategic priority in the talent pipeline, commissioned by the Black British Business Awards, businesses now have a clearer view of these issues and a roadmap of potential solutions to address them.

We actively seek and truly value the insights diverse talent brings to Morgan Stanley and are delighted to sponsor again the Talent Accelerator to help advance exceptional ethnically-diverse talent. Taking part in the Talent Accelerator complements our overall drive to sustainable race inclusion, which we are progressing through our interactive Let’s Talk About Race sessions, our Diversity Action Council, employee networks and public commitments as an early signatory of the UK Race At Work Charter.

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CONTENTS

Letter from the BBBAwards co-founders

Letter from Key Partner The Executive Leadership Council

Introducing the Talent Accelerator

The shape of the Talent Accelerator 2019

The Talent Accelerator programme

Key deliverables of the Talent Accelerator

Review of the Talent Accelerator content and delivery

Benefits to UK companies

Recommendations for the Talent Accelerator

Concluding words

Participating companies

BBBA Talent Accelerator faculty

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LETTER FROM THE BBBAWARDS CO-FOUNDERS

Our goal is to highlight the difference that can be made by companies when they intentionally invest in the career progression of Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) professionals in the UK workplace through targeted interventions.

We are proud of the Talent Accelerator because it is an example of an investment that generates dividends beyond one individual. It is a ground-breaking programme that challenges all key stakeholders in the company to learn about and positively deal with visible, invisible, implicit, explicit, formal and informal structures and practices that disproportionately affect the ability of BAME middle managers to rise through the ranks into senior executive roles.

We have already begun to see, through the progression of most of the delegates from the Talent Accelerator pioneer Class of 2018, how the right investment of time and resources will pay measurable dividends for them as professionals and their organisations at large. In meeting the Class of 2019, we were once again blown away. The Class of 2019 represents a pipeline of exceptional role models: demonstrating success, defying stereotypes and creating opportunities for others wherever possible. As you will glean from this report, they all were thoroughly impressed by the impact of the Talent Accelerator.

We would like to thank Dr Doyin Atewologun, Dr Fatima Tresh, Sheekha Rajani, Mel Tottoh, Jen Charteris, Manjari Prashar and Dawn Whyte for their immense dedication and contribution of their expertise to the design, project management and delivery of the Talent Accelerator.

In 2019, we were privileged to announce The Executive Leadership Council (ELC) as Key Partner of the Talent Accelerator. This has enabled us to substantially invest in the development and expansion of the programme. We would like to thank The ELC, Bloomberg, EMpower, Morgan Stanley, The Network of Networks (Multicultural/BAME) and the Virgin Group for supporting and underwriting the research, development and execution of the Talent Accelerator.

We would also like to thank our inspiring guest speakers, and the exceptional group of sponsors and supporters who have provided feedback over the last two years, in addition to nominating inspiring delegates for the Talent Accelerator.

To the Class of 2019, we thank you for providing us with the inspiration and confidence to continue to run the programme in 2020, and we wish you all the best in years to come.

Sophie Chandauka and Melanie EusebeCo-FoundersThe Black British Business Awards

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LETTER FROM KEY PARTNER THE EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP COUNCIL

The Executive Leadership Council (ELC) was founded in the US with a specific and enduring focus on building the talent pipeline of the next generation of black business leaders. As The ELC membership expands globally, the organisation is strategically aligning itself with organisations that are committed to our agenda and the advancement of ethnic minorities generally in other markets, starting with the UK. As the 2020 Key Partner of the Talent Accelerator, we are therefore proud to renew our investment into the UK’s Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) talent pool through our robust partnership and collaboration with the Black British Business Awards..

Our UK membership and presence continues to grow each year, thereby enabling greater participation, development and coaching experiences for this programme through engagement with ELC senior leaders. The ELC is uniquely positioned to provide a bridge for connecting emerging and established leaders globally. We look forward to enhancing the progression of participants and supporting their continuing development.

The ELC continues to wish the Class of 2019 much success as they look toward the next chapter in their careers. We look forward to launching the 2020 Talent Accelerator Class!

Crystal E. AshbyInterim President and CEOThe Executive Leadership Council

About The Executive Leadership Council

Since our inception in 1986, The Executive Leadership Council (ELC) has been committed to increasing the number of black executives as CEOs, in c-suites, on corporate boards and in global enterprises. Comprising over 800 current and former black CEOs and senior executives at Fortune 1000 and Global 500 companies, The ELC works to build an inclusive business leadership pipeline, empowering leaders to make significant and impactful contributions to the global marketplace and their communities. Our purpose is to open channels of opportunity for the development of black executives to positively impact business and our communities.

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In 2017 the Black British Business Awards (BBBAwards) published a report titled The Middle. The Middle presented the results of an investigation into why Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic (BAME) middle managers are under-represented in senior executive roles within large businesses operating in the UK, and made several recommendations as to what can be done about it. One intervention recommended by the report was a BAME-specific leadership and career advancement programme.

The Talent Accelerator is the programme that emerged from that recommendation. The first initiative of its kind spanning all sectors in the UK, the Talent Accelerator blends personal and professional growth, experiential learning and inspiration to deliver a game-changing leadership and career advancement programme. The programme brings talented BAME future leaders together to stimulate leadership through a collective group journey in a way that no in-house programme can.

The first Talent Accelerator was held in 2018, with the second in 2019. The 2019 programme drew on the learnings of the first, and specifically sought to embed the programme more thoroughly into the organisations from which participants were drawn. It deliberately engaged and steered the active participation of key stakeholders in participating companies.

This report is an important feedback mechanism. It offers insight into the Talent Accelerator programme, outlining its achievements, the responses of the extraordinary cohort who experienced it and the benefits to the organisations who participated. The report further recommends refinements to the programme.

INTRODUCING THE TALENT ACCELERATOR

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“An inspiring, informative and surprisingly emotional two days of learning and development.”

“The best event I have ever attended in a business environment.”

“Humbling, inspiring and galvanising. We need more opportunities to work with BAME excellence.”

“I feel privileged to be included in this programme.”

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The 2019 programme made some important changes to enhance its impact. We focused on the organisational context that participants came from and would return to. By engaging the organisational ecosystem rather than simply individuals, the Talent Accelerator could begin to facilitate deeper and more enduring culture change. Key stakeholders in participating companies were drawn in, including:

l Executive sponsorsl Managersl Human Resource (HR) and Diversity and Inclusion (D&I) professionalsl Network leads

We did not expect internal stakeholders to each contribute to the programme in isolation, but rather facilitated their engagement through tailored communications which began before the start of the programme. We asked of the stakeholders that they provide support to their participants both before and after we ran the Talent Accelerator. Support prior to the programme included discussions between participants and other stakeholders in the company, as well as the structured involvement of executive sponsors, managers and the HR team in the delegates’ pre-programme preparatory work. This pre-programme support helped participants feel confident. Support after the programme entailed helping each individual to embed their learning and to be considered for opportunities. Organisational support raised the profile not only of the individuals selected for the programme, or of the Talent Accelerator, but of the critical and ongoing issue of mid- to senior-level BAME talent and career progression within each company.

To ensure that company-level stakeholder support for the Talent Accelerator was effective and consistent, the BBBAwards designed a Talent Accelerator Stakeholder Toolkit, an action-oriented guideline which set out for each stakeholder:

l The relevance of their organisational role to BAME achievementl Their role in Talent Acceleratorl Suggested actions to champion their participant and to enable impact

We are pleased that stakeholders embraced their roles and almost all participants were able to discuss the programme with their manager or executive sponsor before the Talent Accelerator began. We found that as a result of the preparatory discussions, participants arrived feeling ready for the experience and with an understanding of their strengths and areas for development.

THE SHAPE OF THE TALENT ACCELERATOR 2019

The 2019 Talent Accelerator included 34 delegates from 20 significant UK operating companies. This represented an encouraging increase of roughly 30% over the 2018 cohort.


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“I felt supported from the get-go. My executive sponsor shared just how the programme would benefit me at this time, and this was very encouraging.”

“The discussion helped me define what I needed to gain from the programme and take back to work.”

Participants found that the pre-programme conversations also helped their managers engage better with BAME career issues. As a result, participants were confident that their return to the companies would be smoother and more supported.

“It got them thinking about BAME and the importance of development in the BAME community.”

“They were supportive. Hopefully this will trigger continuing support and converting plans to actions.”

“It was helpful to have a sounding board for my expectations and to know I would have support after the programme.”

“I think the difference will be clearer in the follow-up from the event. But I feel that the ground has been prepared for positive impact.”

The Talent Accelerator programme is delivered over a packed but brief two days. The engagement of stakeholders in supporting participants helps to ensure its impact begins before the start of the programme and continues after. This longer-term engagement means that culture change, an important aim of the Talent Accelerator, is encouraged and facilitated. The Talent Accelerator becomes a springboard for talking about BAME progression and for taking active, intentional steps to facilitate it. Based on the success of the 2019 programme, which is an enhancement of the 2018 pilot, the BBBAwards will from 2020 further extend internal stakeholder engagement to ensure that participating companies benefit more systemically and sustainably from their commitment to the Talent Accelerator.

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The Talent Accelerator programme provides participants with a unique opportunity to reflect, deliberate and evolve, surrounded by BAME peers and BAME senior executive role models. The programme engages the individual in context, with the context in sharpest focus being the organisational ecosystem. The course provides insights and skills that participants can first explore and practise in a safe environment and then take back to apply in their place of work.

During the two days, participants explore:

l The power and opportunity arising from being a minority in today’s workplacel Recognising and diffusing tensions arising from in-group/out-group dynamics l Dealing with the challenges and pressures of leading others as a minority l Using one’s authentic voice and leading courageous conversations about difference l Learning from alienating experiences to develop resilience and courage l Building the confidence and self-esteem to flourish as a BAME leader l The strategies, skills and behaviours that enhance leadership impact and career progression

Day One focuses on authentic leadership. The programme facilitates adopting a growth mindset, and explores issues of identity, personal ambition and leadership style. It is a day of reflection and discovery. Outputs include a sharpened understanding of self and a clear view of personal strengths, style, priorities and areas for development.

On Day Two, participants are supported to revisit their learnings from Day One and begin to unpack how to apply them effectively and constructively.

It is a day of leveraging personal insights to catalyse transformation of participants’ careers, of the value of the work they deliver to the companies which have invested in their development, and of the employer companies themselves.

The programme uses multiple methodologies to deliver its content. There are plenary sessions for discussion and sharing. Smaller groups of seven, the support and challenge groups, meet throughout the two days and continue to meet after the close of the programme to offer their members just that: support and challenge. Some of the activities demand that participants work independently and in relative privacy as they explore those issues which are more personal in nature. One-on-one coaching is offered too to help participants gain valuable feedback and cement their resolve. Social networking is facilitated so that participants can build a wider network of support and shared experience. And, finally, visiting role models address the cohort, offering an opportunity to learn from others, and to join hands with a community rather than to chart a lonely journey.

THE TALENT ACCELERATOR PROGRAMME

How we frame and talk about issues at work both reflects and creates organisational culture. A key step to advancing BAME talent is changing the narrative around it: from ‘a problem to be solved’ to ‘a resource that is under-utilised’. That is why the Talent Accelerator programme deals with the individual in context, and why it seeks to free up talent rather than to remediate anybody.


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Tools to enhance impact in the workplace

The Talent Accelerator programme is grounded in robust research insights, and the faculty have built on these insights to design and teach tangible tools to maximise participants’ impact in the workplace. Examples of skills learned include giving and receiving feedback, methods to build agreement and commitment, influencing in a technology- driven world, situational flexibility – and more. In the participant feedback, all members of the 2019 cohort reported that they had developed strategies and skills to take back to work.

“The Talent Accelerator gave me tools to progress at work.”

“This was a very enriching experience with useful and valuable content to take back and make a difference.”

KEY DEL IVERABLES OF THE TALENT ACCELERATOR

We are delighted that participants reported that the programme helped them become more skilled and empowered, both in relation to their careers and in their confidence to contribute to the company agenda.

Quality of experience

The Talent Accelerator is not just another diversity initiative. The world-class, multicultural faculty, evidence-based design, ground-breaking content and meticulously planned experience ensures that participants and their sponsoring organisations’ expectations are met and surpassed. Participants were awe-inspired by the uniqueness of the programme and the quality of their experience.

“I was overwhelmed by the career-changing data and information.”

“The programme completely exceeded my expectations through the content and the breadth of talent among the delegates.”

“I met some incredible peers. It was a safe space and I am taking away so much!”

“The programme has exceeded my expectations in terms of the quality of the personal insights that it has encouraged and the quality of the connections that I have made.”

Enhancing individual agency and confidence

Through the Talent Accelerator programme, faculty work with participants to identify how their unique experiences contribute to their ability to lead with resilience and adaptability, and to do so in a way that grows inclusiveness within their companies. Participants in the Talent Accelerator 2019 left with a strong understanding of who they are, what leadership skills they can build on and how to harness this knowledge for maximum impact.

“The programme helped us delve deep into ourselves and think about how best to maximise our potential.”

“This experience has been profound. The way I see myself and how I interact with others has been changed.”

“What an empowering experience - between the tools and network, I feel like I can do anything.”

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REVIEW OF THE TALENT ACCELERATOR CONTENT AND DEL IVERY

Based on the research documented in The Middle, impactful BAME-focused interventions are needed and the Talent Accelerator is such an intervention. The overwhelmingly positive feedback of participants suggests that we need to turn our focus to embedding the sustained impact of the programme, ensuring that its benefits continue to be felt within UK companies long after the close of each instance of the programme. A full 100% of participants said that they would recommend the Talent Accelerator to a BAME peer or colleague, and to their own organisation.

“Humbling, challenging and inspiring development.”

“Inspiring talented BAME individuals to continue to grow and to recognise their talent and capability.”

“This is an insightful and impactful course that will drive BAME talent forward.”

“Inspiring and fundamental to development and change.”

“This programme has accelerated my growth and made me more confident for the growth journey ahead.”


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These are the words that participants used to describe their experience:

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A unique intervention

Among a plethora of development programmes of various descriptions, participants report that the Talent Accelerator stands out for its unique design and impact.

“I have been on similar courses but this one, working alongside BAME participants, resonated much more with me due to shared experiences.”

“Having been on other talent programmes, this programme is a complete standout.”

The unexpected benefits of exclusively BAME programmes

As one would expect, our participants had some initial questions and assumptions about being nominated for the Talent Accelerator. Would a BAME focus entrench a sense of isolation, instead of helping participants feel empowered at work? Would it underline a feeling of being other, rather than building confidence in who they are and what they offer? During the evaluation process, participants said the programme challenged their assumptions about the power of bringing high-potential minority ethnic individuals into a shared space and learning journey.

Evidence shows that leadership programmes designed for specific identities can be very effective. One of the outcomes that this design creates is a psychologically safe space to share unique and shared experience, personal stories, vulnerability and support. Participants shared some of the positive elements of creating a psychologically safe space:

“We implicitly know about one another’s cultural backgrounds. This meant we didn’t need to spend time talking about these things.”

“The tailoring of the programme for BAME people gave a strong sense of belonging, making it feel psychologically safe to share without feeling the need to hold back.”

“Being with other BAME people gave me the opportunity to speak freely and to feel understood.”

“The ease with which I connected with and related to this group meant that each session was relatable, without much need for caveat.”

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Benefits to build on Risks to manage

Building on a foundation of shared experiences and learnings with other people ‘like me’ helps strengthen confidence and self-esteem.

There may be too much emphasis on one group over another. Our facilitators were careful to support an inclusive approach rather than an excluding one.

Participants’ experiences, ways of thinking and purpose may be shared – but they are also diverse. There is a safe space for both.

There is a need to hold a space for difference and disagreement. Being from a group can make people feel compelled to represent the group.

Being with others from the same background helps people see they are not alone. The BAME community can create an enduring network of support.

Groups constituted by a social identity can create disconnects – us and them, in-groups and out-groups. Participants said this threat did not materialise.

There is something relatable in being with people ‘like me’, in sharing stories with common characters and themes. Someone else’s strength and experience becomes a light that illuminates everyone’s path.

The experience is so relatable that people compare themselves: they may feel inadequate compared to others who have achieved greater success, or shamed by others who have not succeeded. Skilled facilitators need to hold the emotions of the group and help participants navigate them constructively.


At the same time, BAME-only programmes must take account of the possible risks of bringing together ethnic minorities into an exclusive training space. In designing the Talent Accelerator, we identified benefits in order to maximise them and risks in order to manage or ameliorate them.

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Preparatory work

The feedback that we received from the 2018 pioneering cohort led us to increase the amount of preparatory work for 2019. There were two reasons for this.

l We wanted to ensure that participants were fully prepared for the amount of content that they would cover over the two days. l We wanted to facilitate building a community by increasing the networking opportunities for the cohort.

Overall, 97% of the participants agreed that the preparatory work improved their experience of the programme. The volume of preparatory work for a two-day programme was significant, as the faculty acknowledged, which makes us all the more pleased that participants were willing to complete the work on time. Participants commented that the preparatory work helped them gain more value from the programme.

“It made me feel like the training would be super-intense, rich and full of challenging, insightful questions.”

“It gave me an idea of the depth of thinking and discussion that would take place.”

“The preparatory work helped greatly in getting into the mindset of the programme and thinking about some of the topics covered in class.”

“The preparatory work meant that we had to engage and commit to the programme.”

“The 360-degree feedback was crucial to me understanding better how I come across.”

“It allowed room for deep self-analysis and reflection ahead of time. It allowed us to maximise the time in the room and go deeper more quickly.”

“The 360-degree feedback really targeted areas I’d previously struggled with but couldn’t put my finger on.”

“The amount of work made me query how much new information we’d receive on the course but in reality the work we’ve done on the course has really brought the pre-work to life in a way I wasn’t expecting.”


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Support and challenge groups

On the programme, participants were organised into groups of seven, called support and challenge groups. Each group was supported by a skilled facilitator. The role of the groups is to embed learning, challenge one another, grow from positive and negative experiences and provide a safe space to share thoughts and ideas and commit to action.

Participant feedback was that the support and challenge groups created a positive space in which all members of the group could feel heard and in which all could give and receive meaningful feedback. Participants felt that the support and challenge groups enriched their experience, making the programme more interesting and engaging.

We hope that, as has happened with the 2018 cohort, the 2019 support and challenge groups continue to meet.

Course content

The Talent Accelerator is designed by experts who are building on research and evidence. We built a programme that delivers comprehensive and innovative content, supported by highly impactful and tangible learning activities. The feedback received from our pioneering participants of 2018 was testament to this, and we were keen to deliver the same high-quality fusion of experiential learning and growth that we achieved in 2018. For this reason, we kept our module design largely consistent with the previous year.

2019 saw the addition of our newest member of the faculty, Dr Manjari Prashar. We wanted to ensure that her expertise was injected into the content in a way that resonated with participants on a new level. Manjari’s expertise in cross-cultural leadership provided participants with insights into how identity, culture and the workplace are intertwined. Participants took away additional key learnings around how to lead in a globalised world and the power that ethnic minority experience brings to leadership.

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The power of self-reflection

The overwhelming majority of participants found all modules interesting and engaging, as measured in our programme evaluation.

“The most thought-provoking and impactful exercise I have ever completed.”

“I realised how much stuff I had really gone through at work and how it had shaped me.”

“This is the first time I have self-reflected on my life. It was a very powerful exercise.”

On the ‘impact and influencing’ module

“I really needed practical tools as this was something I was grappling with.”

“On the back of all the previous sessions, I found this session a particularly practical and useful exercise that I’ll take home.”

“I received tangible tools to take back to work.”

On the MBTI Step II

“It was great to delve into the personality test to gain a deeper understanding of myself.”

“It helped to understand my personality fully.”

Setting learning goals

“Setting learning goals was very practical and gave me time for self-reflection.”


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These are some of the ways we believe UK companies benefit from the BBBAwards Talent Accelerator:

l Meaningful action can be taken even when

in-house resources are limitedOf the many UK companies with a genuine commitment to embracing greater representation of BAME talent at senior levels, few have the in-house resources to draw on experience to promote awareness and understanding or capability to deliver a BAME talent development programme of this nature. It makes sense to outsource the responsibility to an organisation with the research depth, understanding of lived experience, expertise and capability.

l A willingness and commitment to change is

demonstrated, as opposed to obligatedThe policy and regulatory environment in the UK is shifting, and we see signs of an approaching climate in which companies will have to demonstrate compliance with evolving best practice and even regulation that relates to pay equity and other BAME issues. BBBAwards and its Talent Accelerator offer opportunities for companies to demonstrate their alignment and active support. Many forward-thinking companies are already ahead of the curve as they partner with BBBAwards.

BENEFITS TO UK COMPANIES

The benefits to participants in the Talent Accelerator are clear. As critically, the programme must deliver real and meaningful value to the companies which lend their talent to us for two days, and which support the programme financially and in other ways.

l Diversifying leadership makes business sense, BAME talent is utilisedChanging representation at senior management level requires a deliberate and intentional investment in programmes that create opportunities for bold, capable, inspiring BAME leaders to emerge. The Talent Accelerator is such a programme.

l Access to the latest thinking and research to take back to the businessEach year’s Talent Accelerator grows the think tank and expertise around advancing BAME talent. The think tank includes the creators of the Talent Accelerator and the programme’s alumni, but is not limited to them. As we embed the programme ever more deeply into company ecosystems, that think tank and community of practice embraces a wider network of stakeholders within UK employers, with access to cutting-edge conversations, research and publications.

l Conversations about race become easier, change

is catalysedTalking about race at work is often avoided, often due to the best intentions. However, slow progress to racial equality has been attributed to lack of confidence around talking about race. The Talent Accelerator facilitates the conversation for stakeholders across the business in a safe, rewarding and celebratory way.

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Earlier introduction and on-boarding

Participants who dedicated sufficient time to preparatory work were clearly most ready for the programme. One issue which limited the time for preparatory work was the nominations process through which organisations conducted internal communications and identified their nominee. In 2020 we will provide further support to participating organisations in their nominations process, including a longer nominations window. As a result, the timelines allocated to participants’ preparatory work will be sufficient for all delegates to reach the same level of readiness ahead of the programme.

Greater opportunities for networking

Support and challenge groups form the basis of the cohort’s community. We know that members of our 2018 cohort continue to meet in these groups and provide one another with information and social support. We would like to add to the support provided by the support and challenge groups by facilitating more interaction and connection among the full cohort. The overarching priorities of

the programme are for participants to take away learnings and tools to progress their careers, and we acknowledge the power of a strong network for facilitating this.

Immediate opportunities for carrying on the conversations

In the course of the Talent Accelerator, our participants gather new experiences, engage in deep self-reflection and experience vulnerability, all of which elicits deep and powerful connections and friendships across the cohort. While the BBBAwards, with the support of our key partner The Executive Leadership Council, are committed to providing the best experience for participants across the two-day programme, follow-on opportunities to reconnect are important. Our 2019 cohort has requested a formal opportunity to reconnect and the BBBAwards are committed to providing this opportunity. While we look to incorporate a longer-term community strategy into the programme in the future, we also encourage participants to organise and facilitate their own community.

RECOMMENDATIONS FOR THE TALENT ACCELERATOR

The feedback for Talent Accelerator 2019 has been overwhelmingly positive. We received evaluation forms from 31 of the 34 participants, and each gave a positive appraisal of the programme. To ensure that each year the programme is enriched by the experience of the prior year, we asked participants to record one thing that they would change about the programme for future participants. As a result, there are three updates that we will make to future iterations of the programme.

CONCLUDING WORDSBBBAwards is committed to the ongoing critical review of the Talent Accelerator intervention. We listen to our participants and to the companies who trusted us with their BAME future leaders in order to understand what has worked well, what strengths we will build on and where we can do better. We will continue to report back to all our stakeholders, and to welcome with gratitude the extraordinary depth of support, feedback and suggestions we receive.

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PARTICIPATING COMPANIES


American ExpressBaker McKenzieBarclaysBaringsBloomberg L.P.BTCiscoClifford ChanceEYFacebookFinancial Conduct AuthorityFreshfields Bruckhaus DeringerGoldman SachsJ.P. MorganKineticKPMGMoody’sMorgan StanleyNational GridNorthern TrustPwCSuperunionVirgin GroupVisaWellington Management

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Dr Doyin Atewologun

CHARTERED BUSINESS PSYCHOLOGIST AND DIRECTOR, DELTA ALPHA PSI

Dr Doyin Atewologun, a Chartered Business Psychologist, is one of the UK’s foremost experts on leadership, diversity and intersectionality. Doyin is an evidence-based consultant, award-winning researcher and a regular voice in the media. Her clients include FTSE 100 companies, United Nations agencies, legal and other professional services firms, and the UK civil service. Doyin is also Director of Delta Alpha Psi, a leadership and diversity consultancy that draws on the discipline of psychology to help organisations achieve the best from diversity. Doyin is Director of the Gender, Leadership and Inclusion Centre at Cranfield School of Management, UK and a Visiting Fellow at the Lagos Business School, Nigeria and the University of Pretoria, South Africa. Doyin is the lead academic advisor for the UK government-backed Parker Review of ethnicity on FTSE 100 boards and has published widely in academic peer-reviewed and trade journals on leadership and diversity. She co-authored a review of the effectiveness of unconscious bias training for the Equality and Human Rights Commission. Doyin is past Deputy Chair of the British Psychology Society’s Diversity and Inclusion at Work Group, a collaboration of academic and practitioner members committed to implementing evidence-based approaches to optimise positive outcomes in diverse workspaces.

BBBA TALENT ACCELERATOR FACULTY

Sophie Chandauka

CO-FOUNDER AND CHAIR OF JUDGING PANEL, BBBAWARDS AND GLOBAL CHIEF OPERATIONS OFFICER, SHARED SERVICES AND BANKING OPERATIONS AT MORGAN STANLEY

Sophie is Global COO of Morgan Stanley’s Shared Services and Banking Operations. Prior to that, she was EMEA Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) of Morgan Stanley’s Legal and Compliance Division. Previously, as Head of Group Treasury (Legal) at Virgin Money, she led execution of strategic mergers and acquisitions (M&A) and corporate finance activity, including the acquisition of Northern Rock, the flotation of Virgin Money and other deals in excess of £13billion. Prior to this, she was a Senior Associate at global firm Baker McKenzie, advising clients such as Nike, The Body Shop and Macquarie Bank. Sophie is an international speaker at industry conferences and recipient of many business awards. She has featured in publications including Management Today, Brummell, the Financial Times and Sunday Times. She is a Rotary International Paul Harris Fellow and has served on several boards including Sentebale, which was founded by Prince Harry to support children affected by HIV/AIDS in Africa. Sophie is the Strategic Advisor to Morgan Stanley’s African and Caribbean Business Alliance. She is a member of The Executive Leadership Council (ELC), the pre-eminent African American membership organisation committed to increasing the number of black executives in c-suites on corporate boards. She is an Ambassador of the 30% Club and co-leads the US Chapter.

Melanie Eusebe

CO-FOUNDER AND CHAIR, BBBAWARDS AND DIRECTOR, STRATEGY AND CONSULTING AT ACCENTURE

Melanie is an entrepreneur, a board trustee and a business strategist with over 20 years’ experience as a management consultant. In her role as Director, Strategy and Consulting at Accenture, she focuses on growth and engagement strategies for some of the world’s biggest brands and largest organisations. A committed teacher, Melanie is a professor in the field of leadership and management at a leading business school and also has her own on-line business school. Alongside her leading role in the BBBAwards, Melanie was Executive Producer for the Women of the World (WoW) Festival, a global gender equality festival involving over two million women from 50 cities on five continents. Recognised by the Queen for her contribution, Melanie has been profiled as one of the most influential women in business and the creative industries in the UK.

Jen Charteris

LEADERSHIP AND ORGANISATIONAL DEVELOPMENT CONSULTANT, GOVERNANCE ADVISOR AND NON-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Born and educated in South Africa, Jen has more than 25 years’ experience as a management consultant supporting top teams through major change and advising on the governance and leadership of complex alliances. Jen has a deep knowledge of facilitating change in organisational systems, culture and leadership behaviour. She has spent a lifetime learning to see and change behaviour patterns within groups and across systems, by helping leaders to start with developing themselves. Her work has involved her in some of the UK and Europe’s biggest aerospace and engineering projects on behalf of both government and corporate clients. Her passion for effective leadership and governance has led her to coaching and training boards in the non-profit sector around the world, and she recently completed a long-term research study on the impact of governance effectiveness for a global NGO. Until recently Jen headed up Leadership and Talent for Virgin Money, and now leads a start-up providing leadership development for non-profit organisations across Europe. She holds several non-executive director roles.


23

Dr Fatima Tresh

BUSINESS PSYCHOLOGIST AND CONSULTANT, DELTA ALPHA PSI

Dr Fatima Tresh is a Business Psychologist and Consultant at Delta Alpha Psi, a leadership and inclusion consultancy. Having recently completed her PhD in Psychology at the Centre for the Study of Group Processes, University of Kent, Fatima now works with multinational firms conducting applied research and evidence-based interventions to improve diversity in talent pipelines and leadership teams. She has co-authored a review of the effectiveness of unconscious bias training for the Equality and Human Rights Commission and a review of reporting on ethnic diversity at board level in the FTSE 100 and FTSE 250 for the Financial Reporting Council. Fatima is a frequent contributor to equality, diversity and inclusion debates at academic and practitioner conferences.

Mel Tottoh MANAGING DIRECTOR AND CO-FOUNDER, ARWEL DOUGLAS LIMITED Mel is a co-founder and joint Managing Director of Arwel Douglas Limited. He is a talented and impactful change specialist who draws on 25 years’ experience working with many of the largest global, multi-cultural organisations. This experience has been central to his continued interest in working with the diversity and complexities of organisational life, leadership and performance. He partners with business leaders, senior executives, key stakeholders and high potentials to help them to understand and work with the dilemmas and issues facing their organisations; to create highly effective virtual and intact leadership teams; to support them to thrive in complex, often geographically dispersed, diverse and challenging environments; and to help them to become the leaders they wish to be and that their organisations deserve.

Dr Manjari Prashar

SENIOR MANAGING CONSULTANT, DELTA ALPHA PSI AND VISITING FELLOW, CRANFIELD UNIVERSITY

Manjari is the Senior Managing Consultant at Delta Alpha Psi and Visiting Fellow at Cranfield School of Management. An executive coach and consultant in inclusion and diversity, Manjari has coached on the award-winning Linklaters Women’s Leadership Programme and at HSBC with Cranfield’s Customised Executive Development group. Manjari’s clients include leaders in global organisations such as Capgemini, Societe Generale, Orange Business Services and Sogeti. She has delivered training programmes to teams working with Airbus, Total, Renault and Schneider, among many others. She is trained in the Centaur model of leadership, and her approach is informed by her experience as a commercial account manager at Scotiabank, project manager in an IT start-up and communications consultant at Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Manjari has an MBA from McGill University in Canada and a PhD from Cranfield School of Management in the UK. Born and raised in India, Manjari has lived and worked in India, Canada, the United States and France and speaks English, French and Hindi.

Sheekha Rajani

DIRECTOR AND CO-FOUNDER, INCLUSIVE INTELLIGENCE AND REGIONAL DIVERSITY LEAD, FACEBOOK EMEA AND LATIN AMERICA

Sheekha is Director and co-founder of Inclusive Intelligence, and Regional Diversity Lead for EMEA and Latin America at Facebook. A diversity and inclusion consultant, she has worked with a variety of organisations in developing inclusive workplaces, both globally and in region. Sheekha’s focus is on partnering with her clients to optimise the business value of diversity and inclusion and to positively impact culture change. Her experience includes developing strategies and plans to drive achievement of gender and ethnicity targets, implementing inclusive recruitment to achieve a diverse candidate pipeline and conducting qualitative research to identify opportunities for targeted actions and programmes. Her recent clients include Citi, PA Consulting, PwC, Rolls Royce and Vodafone. Prior to launching her consultancy practice, Sheekha held global diversity and inclusion positions at HSBC and BAE Systems, where her main priority was to grow diverse talent pipelines to leadership positions.

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© The Black British Business Awards Limited

First published February 2020

All rights reserved. Except for the quotation of shortpassages for the purposes of criticism and review,no part of this publication may be reproduced,stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in anyform or by any means, electronic, mechanical,photocopying, recording or otherwise, without theprior permission of the publisher.

The Black British Business Awards LimitedCompany number 10057028Registered number 10057028

Registered office:1 Coldbath SquareLondon EC1R 5HLUnited Kingdom

Authors: Dr Doyin Atewologun, Sophie Chandauka, Melanie Eusebe, Dr Fatima Tresh.Edited by Orenna Krut Designed by Emma ChadwickPrinted by Trio Offset

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